Harry Potter and the Paladins
by Ghost of Meat
Summary: After saving the life of the Supreme Pontiff, Harry is taken in by the church and raised as one of their own. On his 11th birthday he receives his Hogwarts letter. how will the now exposed Magical World cope? Rated T.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer – I own noting to do with the Harry potter franchise and am writing this only for my own amusement.**

**A/N I can here it now, "What the FRAK are you doing? Truthfully this just came to me while I was watching a history channel special on the Vatican. Plus you never see anyone write Harry as religious unless it's a crossover of some sort, at least I haven't. And no this won't be an instantly Anti-Magic situation with Inquisitions and such. You'll see why as it goes into the start of chapter 2. Chapter 1 is just the introduction of sorts. Plus the Pontiff at the time was John Paul II, probably the most kindly, understanding, and analytical Pope EVER. Just because he didn't understand something he didn't condemn it, he checked it out first. Also John Paul won't really be that big of a recurring character, at least for a while.**

**Harry Potter and the Paladins**

**Chapter 1**

**Feathers of White**

**Vatican City**

**July 5th **

**1986**

Wandering around the big city wasn't how young Harry envisioned this trip would be. He had been brought to Rome by his Aunt and Uncle on a business trip after they had failed to find anyone to watch him. They had stopped for a bite to eat, naturally Harry got noting. He had turned around to watch the people out the window and when Harry had turned around to find them they had disappeared. Not wanting to cause anyone any trouble he had slipped out of the restaurant and blended into the crowd.

He was good at blending in, even at only 5; it kept his cousin from finding him when they were "Harry Hunting.

After walking for a while he found a large group pf people gathered in a large open area. He moved through the crowd. Obviously they were waiting for something. He made his way toward the front of the large mass and found a corded off path through the center of the mass of people. He knew you weren't supposed to cross the ropes, so he didn't. Coming down the center of the isle were several men all surrounding a man wearing white robes. He was obviously someone important as everyone reacted to his approach. As he neared where Harry stood a mist began to gather along the path in front of the man. A black mist that then solidified into a man wearing beep black robes and a skull shaped mask.

Harry knew this was bad

* * *

In his many years of life, and time in the church, Pope John Paul the second had seen many things. Noting however had prepared him for the sight of a man in dark robes and a skull like mask appearing from a black mist. In his hand he held a simple stick which he then pointed at the 2 Swiss Guard that had moved forward to apprehend him. With a cry of "_Avada Kedavra_" two bolts of sickly green light shot from the stick and struck the guards, who dropped where they had stood.

The Pontiff had lead the fight against the evils of the world for the greater part of his life. This was a whole new level. As the crowd began to scream in realization of what was happening the black cloaked "man" leveled his stick at the pontiff and loosed another bolt.

Like Leo the First before him, who had faced down Attila the Hun, the Pontiff stood his ground. He knew God was watching over him and would protect him. Just as the green bolt arrived John Paul felt a tiny body collide with his legs, then the world went white.

* * *

Seeing things as they were Harry knew one simple fact. The "man in white" was good and the "man in black" was bad. His family had always told him he was a freak and that he didn't deserve what little he was given. So if getting hit by the green light for the man in white would give him time to get away that what he would do.

He bolted from behind the corded partition and grabbed onto the legs of the "man in white", trying desperately to shield him. Even though the top of his head only came up to the man's stomach. As his closed eyes were shrouded in green light he felt warmth engulf him, driving away the cold the green light brought. He knew no more afterward, and would remain in the sweet embrace of sleep for some time.

* * *

Again the Pontiff found himself in shock. First the black cloaked "man" had appeared and killed two of the Swiss Guard. Then he had been targeted. Now he had been saved from certain death by only a child who had stepped in the way. Willing to sacrifice himself to save the life of someone he had never met.

The crowd had fallen silent. Between the black cloaked form and the boy and Pontiff was a hemispherical dome of white light.

As John Paul felt the boy slacken and begin to fall he grabbed hold of his shoulders and lowered him to the ground. As the boy fell unconscious, for the Pope could see him still drawing breath, the white light shield collapsed. With their charge now out of the line of fire the plane clothed guards that had been part of the papal entourage drew their weapons and fired.

As the cloaked man fell to the concrete of St Peters Square the Swiss Guard moved forward with their weapons still aimed. They secured the robed man, after removing his mask and the "Stick" he had used, and checked him over before calling for the coroner. The man had been shot four times in the chest and had not survived. The Pontiff rolled the black haired child over. He was mercifully still alive, just sleeping. Wondering what the half dome of light was that had saved his life, and weather the boy had caused it somehow, he moved to carry the child as his other guard had surrounded him and urged him to move back into St Peters.

The Pontiff froze in shock as he finally noticed what the shocked crowd had already seen. Lying in a semicircle around the boy, where the shield of light had been, were arrayed several white feathers. As he returned his gaze to the dark haired child the Pontiff had to wonder. He knew God would protect him, as he did all of his faithful, but had the Lord sent an Angel in the body of a child to save him? The Holy Father gathered the sleeping child into his arms and quickly followed his guard back into St Peters. From there he and a retinue of several nuns, 2 of the cardinals, and several bishops along with almost half of the Swiss Guard made their way through the secured passages towards the fortress Caste Saint Angelo. All the while young Harry, now being carried by one of the Sisters accompanying the group, slept.

Outside people gathered in the square of St Peter to pray. Among the crowd were Italian Magicals who knew what had happened. Two had been close enough to see the boys face. The black hair and scar had given away that Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had once again resisted the Killing Curse to save the life of the Supreme Pontiff. By the time the Italian Magical authorities had arrived it was all over.

Around the world these events had been televised live and the governments of the world were paying attention. Many world leaders knew EXACTLY what had happened and would be keeping a very close eye on their own magical communities.

The International Confederation of Wizards was in an uproar and would soon be calling on their head to explain this. They were now exposed, thanks to one of the supposedly "subdued" Death Eaters from England, and there was little that could be done to repair the damage. The footage had been LIVE!

In England, Prime Minister Margaret Hilda Thatcher was preparing to call in a meeting with both the queen and the sitting Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. It was high time they answered for this and if she had her way they would be lucky to still be governing themselves at the end of the day!

**A/N I know this was rather short but as I said it was just a set up for what is to come.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer – I own noting to do with the Harry potter franchise and am writing this only for my own amusement.**

**A/N someone suggested I take the elements from Fate/Stay Night to use here. No, I will not make this a crossover. I will be using real world backgrounds added in with the Harry Potter setting and some added elements, not many mind you, that I will add myself. So, sorry but no, no crossover. Anyway with that said I'm surprised by the reception this got. Usually touching upon religion in a magical setting is a touch and go subject. I'm more than happy to see the level of maturity the reviewers have shown, good on you guys. This one is also going to be mostly filler on the events of the last chapter. Three is where the meat of the story starts. Well onward we go.**

**Harry Potter and the Paladins**

**Chapter 2**

**The World is Changed**

**Florence, Italy**

**July 1992**

To say that the past few years had been eventful for Harry Potter was an understatement. To say they had been eventful for the world was an outright misstatement. Following the attack on the Pontiff most of the European magical governments had held their breath. No amount of Oblivators were going to cover this event, which had been broadcast live to the world. The ICW had simply gone into denial mode. Simply believing the non-magicals of the world would simply forget eventually. That might have been true; it would likely have been handled by the Church only and listed simply as an unexplainable event. It may have even left the headlines in a few years…

If it not for the Americans.

The American magicals had declared independence from England in 1776 along with the rest of the newly formed United States. As such they had never signed the Statute of Secrecy, even though they abide by it in principal, nor had any of the Asian or South American communities. Seeing this was their chance to drag the Europeans into the 20th century the American magicals "came out".

They began to practice magic in the open, Muggle repelling wards were dropped nation wide, and statements were released explaining exactly what had happened in St Peters Square.

As the American Magical Government was technically still part of the US Gov the reaction of the public was mild at best. There was excitement certainly, and the benefits of magical medicine, potions and the like, were immediately taken in by many professionals. Magical Healers and Potion Brewers quickly found themselves in high demand as many life threatening illnesses were treatable by magical means.

While these things did occur in European nations as well, mostly in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy itself, many of the European governments took flack for allowing parallel governments to exist within their boarders. Within a few years most of them had adopted the American model. England was an exception. It held out for a few years, keeping to the "pure way" until the English government simply sent troops into the Ministry. Those who had been part of the Death Eater movement attempted to fight back in the name of "Pureblood Supremacy". But that didn't survive too long, neither did they

It was the reaction of the Church that concerned even the American magicals, who were technically protected under the law. Following the announcement from the Americans the church embarked on a 2 year study of magic, aided by magical scholars sent from the Italian Ministry. Their conclusion? Magic was neither good nor evil, but a neutral power that had existed as long as life had existed upon the earth. It was the user that determined the propose. There was even a theory that floated around the Vatican for a few months that perhaps magic was a manifestation of the "Fruit of Knowledge" taken by Eve in Eden. That didn't hold up to scrutiny though. There was one remaining mystery even the magicals couldn't explain and that some still were calling the direct intervention of the Holy Father.

How had young Harry Potters blocked the Killing Curse? Twice.

The churches stance on the so called "unforgivable" was simple. All three curses WERE evil and WOULD see any magical members of the church excommunicated if used. The church would accept and embrace any who held the belief in Christ weather magical or not. After all, all were equals in the eyes of God. All of these things were read out during the Christmas Mass in St Peters in 1988. And what of Harry?

After the Americans had made their announcement and offered their explanation the church knew it would be lacking the experience to educate Harry. Having accepted early on that whatever power the boy had used to save the pontiff couldn't have been evil. The assistance of the Italian Magical Ministry in the 2 year magic study by the church reconnected the Vatican to one of the most influential Italian magical lines in history. Their influence on non-magical history no withstanding…the Famiglia de' Medici.

Much like the Goblins, and that was a hard pill for many to swallow, were the primary bankers in magical England the Medici bank was to Italy. Their line in the non-magical world had long since bleed into other but the magical side of the family still held strong. Knowing the Medici were old allies of the church, even producing 2 Popes even if they were 2 of the worst, the Church approached the family about sponsoring young Harry's education. The response of the Medici was not expected. It seemed the young man who had arrived at the Vatican wearing little more than rags was heir to an old noble family with ties to just about every magical community. He was also famous for the defeat of a self proclaimed Dark Lord in England when he was only a year old.

The Vatican had vowed an investigation, the boy's condition and stories he told spoke of mistreatment. With the assistance of Italian and British prosecutors the Aunt and Uncle were arrested for child neglect as well as a slew of other crimes. Still the Medici were unreserved in their agreement to take him in. With the Italian Government backing the choice Harry moved to Florence. The head of the family, Lorenzo the tenth, had personally seen to Harry's education concerning the running of his family finances as well as the customs and traditions he would be required to know as a noble. Getting the Potter account transferred to their bank, at Harry's request, had been about as pleasant as having teeth pulled. The Goblins did everything in their power to keep that account. But in the end relented and simply charged a transfer fee, as large as allowed under law.

Still and all the goblins respected the Medici, even if they sometimes butted heads with the family. They had a history of being good bankers and were ruthless with their enemies. That the Goblins could respect.

Nearly all magical communities held onto their founding traditions. In the States this saw many in magical communities living as they had in the 19th century, though with the use of magic to provide many of the amities of modern life. This was also true in Italy though it was taken to the extreme. Life in the Italian magical communities had not changed much since the Renaissance. Every day things from fashion to social interaction, though many modern influences were still highly visible. An example was the disappearance of divisions between the occupations of men and women. Seeing a young lady walking down the streets of the magical section of Florence dressed as a young man of the time would have was not an uncommon sight, some even still wore swords. Mostly Side Swords though the occasional Rapier was to be seen.

It had been 5 years now since Harry had moved into the Palazzo De' Medici. And his third year of proper magical education was fast approaching. And again an invitation had arrived to attend the English school Hogwarts. Lorenzo had advised him to go for at least one year, to see and experience the school his parents had attended, to see and experience different magical customs. If he wanted to do that he'd go to Paris. Still though, it would be an opportunity. He had learned recently that he had a Godfather who was still alive. The man had spent some years in prison without even the courtesy of a trial. But that had been corrected when the British government had taken over the day to day running of its magical community.

The man, Sirius Black if he remembered correctly, was now teaching at the British school. As was another friend of his parents Remus Lupin, a known werewolf. Fortunately much better treatments for the Lycanthropy were available these days. Instead of turning into the man wolf, its victims simply turned into a species of normal wolf while keeping their own minds. Much better than before surly. Still and all traditions were important. And having SOME connections to his roots couldn't be a bad thing. He would ask Lorenzo to contact Black tomorrow.

**A/N ok like I said in the first note this is more a less filler to catch up to 1992-93 school year. Chapter 3 will start into the story proper. Also there will be clear differences between this and the cannon as now the two worlds are integrated for the most part. **


End file.
